House GOP affirms support for Jones as leader

BOSTON -- House Republicans overwhelmingly reaffirmed their confidence in Minority Leader Brad Jones and his leadership team on Wednesday when a loyal Jones supporter called for a vote during a closed-door meeting with GOP lawmakers that Jones antagonists chose not to attend.

House Republicans have been mired over the past week in internal strife after Rep. Jim Lyons, of Andover, and Rep. Marc Lombardo, of Billerica, publicly voiced their disapproval of the way Jones has been leading their caucus and called for his removal. The comments and the public nature of the discord upset a number of Jones loyalists who felt the criticisms were without merit and intended solely to score political points from conservative voters.

Rep. Matthew Beaton, of Shrewsbury, called for the confidence vote Wednesday afternoon and his motion was seconded by Rep. Susan Gifford, of Wareham. The vote -- 21 to zero in support of Jones -- was intended to squash the nascent revolt within GOP caucus by showing that he maintains the strong backing of his members.

Reps. Lyons, Lombardo, Shaunna O'Connell, Geoff Diehl, Kevin Kuros, Ryan Fattman and Leah Cole did not attend the meeting, which had been announced a day earlier by Jones's office to discuss legislation on the agenda for Wednesday's House session. Rep. Peter Durant, of Spencer, voted present, according to Republican familiar with the vote.

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"I find it very frustrating as a member of the caucus and someone trying to unify the caucus and trying to unify our party in general to see some fellow members run to the media with their frustrations but not be able to come to a caucus to actually talk," Beaton told the News Service after the vote.

Beaton said he specifically waited until 1 p.m. to call for the vote because he knew all House lawmakers were supposed to be on Beacon Hill for the start of a session, and said he interpreted the absence of seven of his colleagues to be a "statement to their loyalty to our current leadership."

"At the end of the day we're all most interested in electing new Republicans but that can be difficult at times when we have our own members out in the media beating up on us and on our leadership," Beaton said. "We have every hope that we had this, we did it, we know where everyone stands, and now it's time to move on and focus on the elections in November and we'll revisit it in January when we have a new leadership vote at the beginning of the next session."

Jones released a statement through his spokesperson addressing the caucus vote and expressing the leader's desire to move past the political infighting to focus on myriad issues still before the Legislature with just over two months remaining for formal legislative sessions.

"Today's vote by the House Republican Caucus reaffirms overwhelming and resounding support for House Minority Leader Brad Jones and the entire Republican Leadership Team," spokesman Peter Lorenz said in a statement. "With many key pieces of legislation pending, and the end of session rapidly approaching, House Republicans look forward to moving past this distraction and focusing their attention on matters important to the continual improvement of the Commonwealth and its residents."

Lyons said he didn't attend the caucus because of a previously scheduled meeting, but said it had nothing to do with the reaction of some of his colleagues to comments he made questioning whether Jones has become too cozy with Democrats.

He also said the vote of support for Jones doesn't change his opinion of the North Reading Republican's leadership, which he said has led to little more than higher taxes, more regulation and greater state spending.

"This is a matter of where I think the caucus needs to go," said Lyons, disputing the suggestion by Beaton that his comments were hurting Republican chances of picking up seats in November.

Asked about his absence from caucus, Diehl said in a brief interview outside the House chamber on his way to session, "Working on the gas tax. That's my focus." Diehl is leading a ballot initiative to repeal the law indexing the gas tax to inflation.

Lombardo said he had several previous meetings scheduled and was in the House Member's Lounge at the time of the vote attending an informational hearing for the Veterans Services Committee on the Holyoke Soldiers Home.

"My focus hasn't changed and that has been on leadership and what I see as a lack of vision, a lack of results and an inability to grow the caucus over the past 12 years," Lombardo said.

Both Lombardo and Lyons said they couldn't speak to why their other colleagues did not attend the meeting.

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